Act 1 — ACT I. SCENE I.

A street.

Enter Alsemero.

Als. ’Twas in the temple where I first beheld her,

And now again the same: what omen yet

Follows of that? none but imaginary;

Why should my hopes or fate be timorous?

The place is holy, so is my intent:

I love her beauties to the holy purpose;

And that, methinks, admits comparison

With man’s first creation, the place blessed,

And is his right home back, if he achieve it.

The church hath first begun our interview,

And that’s the place must join us into one;

So there’s beginning and perfection too.

Enter Jasperino.

Jas. O sir, are you here? come, the wind’s fair with you;

You’re like to have a swift and pleasant passage.

Als. Sure, you’re deceiv’d, friend; it is contrary,

In my best judgment.

Jas. What, for Malta?^[387]

210If you could buy a gale^[388] amongst the witches,

They could not serve you such a lucky pennyworth

As comes a' God’s name.

Als. Even now I observ’d

The temple’s vane to turn full in my face;

I know it is against me.

Jas. Against you?

Then you know not where you are.

Als. Not well, indeed.

Jas. Are you not well, sir?

Als. Yes, Jasperino,

Unless there be some hidden malady

Within me, that I understand not.

Jas. And that

I begin to doubt, sir: I never knew

Your inclination to travel^[389] at a pause,

With any cause to hinder it, till now.

Ashore you were wont to call your servants up,

And help to trap your horses for the speed;

At sea I've seen you weigh the anchor with ’em,

Hoist sails for fear to lose the foremost breath,

Be in continual prayers for fair winds;

And have you chang’d your orisons?

Als. No, friend;

I keep the same church, same devotion.

211Jas. Lover I'm sure you’re none; the stoic was

Found in you long ago; your mother nor

Best friends, who have set snares of beauty, ay,

And choice ones too, could never trap you that way:

What might be the cause?

Als. Lord, how violent

Thou art! I was but meditating of

Somewhat I heard within the temple.

Jas. Is this

Violence? ’tis but idleness compar’d

With your haste yesterday.

Als. I'm all this while

A-going, man.

Jas. Backwards, I think, sir. Look, your servants.

Enter Servants.

First Ser. The seamen call; shall we board your trunks?

Als. No, not to-day.

Jas. ’Tis the critical day, it seems, and the sign in Aquarius.

Sec. Ser. We must not to sea to-day; this smoke will bring forth fire.

Als. Keep all on shore; I do not know the end,

Which needs I must do, of an affair in hand

Ere I can go to sea.

First Ser. Well, your pleasure.

Sec. Ser. Let him e’en take his leisure too; we are safer on land. [Exeunt Servants.

Enter Beatrice, Diaphanta, and Servants: Alsemero accosts Beatrice and then kisses her.

Jas. How now? the laws of the Medes are changed sure; salute a woman! he kisses too; wonderful! where learnt he this? and does it perfectly too; in my conscience, he ne’er rehearsed it 212before. Nay, go on; this will be stranger and better news at Valencia than if he had ransomed half Greece from the Turk. [Aside.

Beat. You are a scholar, sir?

Als. A weak one, lady.

Beat. Which of the sciences is this love you speak of?

Als. From your tongue I take it to be music.

Beat. You’re skilful in it, can sing at first sight.

Als. And I have shew’d you all my skill at once;

I want more words to express me further,

And must be forc’d to repetition;

I love you dearly.

Beat. Be better advis’d, sir:

Our eyes are sentinels unto our judgments,

And should give certain judgment what they see;

But they are rash sometimes, and tell us wonders

Of common things, which when our judgments find,

They can then check the eyes, and call them blind.

Als. But I am further, lady; yesterday

Was mine eyes' employment, and hither now

They brought my judgment, where are both agreed:

Both houses then consenting, ’tis agreed;

Only there wants the confirmation

By the hand royal, that is your part, lady.

Beat. There’s one^[390] above me, sir.—O, for five days past

To be recall’d! sure mine eyes were mistaken;

This was the man was meant me: that he should come

So near his time, and miss it! [Aside.

Jas. We might have come by the carriers from Valencia, I see, and saved all our sea-provision; 213we are at farthest sure: methinks I should do something too;

I meant to be a venturer in this voyage:

Yonder’s another vessel, I'll board her;

If she be lawful prize, down goes her topsail.

[Accosts Diaphanta.

Enter De Flores.

De F. Lady, your father——

Beat. Is in health, I hope.

De F. Your eye shall instantly instruct you, lady;

He’s coming hitherward.

Beat. What needed then

Your duteous preface? I had rather

He had come unexpected; you must stale^[391]

A good presence with unnecessary blabbing;

And how welcome for your part you are,

I'm sure you know.

De F. Will’t never mend this scorn,

One side nor other? must I be enjoin’d

To follow still whilst she flies from me? well,

Fates, do your worst, I'll please myself with sight

Of her at all opportunities,

If but to spite her anger: I know she had

Rather see me dead than living; and yet

She knows no cause for’t but a peevish will. [Aside.

Als. You seem’d displeasèd, lady, on the sudden.

214Beat. Your pardon, sir, ’tis my infirmity;

Nor can I other reason render you,

Than his or hers, of^[392] some particular thing

They must abandon as a deadly poison,

Which to a thousand other tastes were wholesome;

Such to mine eyes is that same fellow there,

The same that report speaks of the basilisk.

Als. This is a frequent frailty in our nature;

There’s scarce a man amongst a thousand found

But hath his imperfection: one distastes

The scent of roses, which to infinites

Most pleasing is and odoriferous;

One oil, the enemy of poison;

Another wine, the cheerer of the heart

And lively refresher of the countenance:

Indeed this fault, if so it be, is general;

There’s scarce a thing but is both lov’d and loath’d:

Myself, I must confess, have the same frailty.

Beat. And what may be your poison, sir? I'm bold with you.

Als. What^[393] might be your desire, perhaps; a cherry.

Beat. I am no enemy to any creature

My memory has, but yon gentleman.

Als. He does ill to tempt your sight, if he knew it.

Beat. He cannot be ignorant of that, sir,

I have not spar’d to tell him so; and I want

To help myself, since he’s a gentleman

In good respect with my father, and follows him.

Als. He’s out of his place then now.

[They talk apart.

Jas. I am a mad wag, wench.

Dia. So methinks; but, for your comfort, I can 215tell you, we have a doctor in the city that undertakes the cure of such.

Jas. Tush, I know what physic is best for the state of mine own body.

Dia. ’Tis scarce a well-governed state, I believe.

Jas. I could shew thee such a thing with an ingredience^[394] that we two would compound together, and if it did not tame the maddest blood i' th' town for two hours after, I'll ne’er profess physic again.

Dia. A little poppy, sir, were good to cause you sleep.

Jas. Poppy? I'll give thee a pop i' th' lips for that first, and begin there: poppy is one simple indeed, and cuckoo-what-you-call’t another: I'll discover no more now; another time I'll shew thee all. [Exit.

Beat. My father, sir.

Enter Vermandero and Servants.

Ver. O Joanna, I came to meet thee;

Your devotion’s ended?

Beat. For this time, sir.—

I shall change my saint, I fear me; I find

A giddy turning in me. [Aside.]—Sir, this while

I am beholding^[396] to this gentleman, who

Left his own way to keep me company,

And in discourse I find him much desirous

To see your castle;^[397] he hath deserv’d it, sir,

If ye please to grant it.

Ver. With all my heart, sir:

Yet there’s an article between, I must know

216Your country; we use not to give survey

Of our chief strengths to strangers; our citadels

Are plac’d conspicuous to outward view,

On promonts'^[398] tops, but within are secrets.

Als. A Valencian, sir.

Ver. A Valencian?

That’s native, sir: of what name, I beseech you?

Als. Alsemero, sir.

Ver. Alsemero? not the son

Of John de Alsemero?

Als. The same, sir.

Ver. My best love bids you welcome.

Beat. He was wont

To call me so, and then he speaks a most

Unfeignèd truth.

Ver. O sir, I knew your father;

We two were in acquaintance long ago,

Before our chins were worth iulan^[399] down,

And so continu’d till the stamp of time

Had coin’d us into silver: well, he’s gone;

A good soldier went with him.

Als. You went together in that, sir.

Ver. No, by Saint Jaques, I came behind him;

Yet I've done somewhat too: an unhappy day

Swallowed him at last at Gibraltar,

In fight with those rebellious Hollanders;

Was it not so?

Als. Whose death I had reveng’d,^[400]

217Or follow’d him in fate, had not the late league

Prevented me.

Ver. Ay, ay, ’twas time to breathe.—

O, Joanna, I should ha' told thee news;

I saw Piracquo lately.

Beat. That’s ill news. [Aside.

Ver. He’s hot preparing for this^[401] day of triumph:

Thou must be a bride within this sevennight.

Als. Ha! [Aside.

Beat. Nay, good sir, be not so violent; with speed

I cannot render satisfaction

Unto the dear companion of my soul,

Virginity, whom I thus long have liv’d with,

And part with it so rude and suddenly;

Can such friends divide, never to meet again,

Without a solemn farewell?

Ver. Tush, tush! there’s a toy.^[402]

Als. I must now part, and never meet again

With any joy on earth. [Aside.]—Sir, your pardon;

My affairs call on me.

Ver. How, sir? by no means:

Not chang’d so soon, I hope? you must see my castle,

And her best entertainment, ere we part,

218I shall think myself unkindly usèd else.

Come, come, let’s on; I had good hope your stay

Had been a while with us in Aligant;^[403]

I might have bid you to my daughter’s wedding.

Als. He means to feast me, and poisons me beforehand.— [Aside.

I should be dearly glad to be there, sir,

Did my occasions suit as I could wish.

Beat. I shall be sorry if you be not there

When it is done, sir; but not so suddenly.

Ver. I tell you, sir, the gentleman’s complete,

A courtier and a gallant, enrich’d

With many fair and noble ornaments;

I would not change him for a son-in-law

For any he in Spain, the proudest he,

And we have great ones, that you know.

Als. He’s much

Bound to you, sir.

Ver. He shall be bound to me

As fast as this tie can hold him; I'll want

My will else.

Beat. I shall want mine, if you do it. [Aside.

Ver. But come, by the way I'll tell you more of him.

Als. How shall I dare to venture in his castle,

When he discharges murderers^[404] at the gate?

But I must on, for back I cannot go. [Aside.

Beat. Not this serpent gone yet?

[Aside. Drops a glove.

Ver. Look, girl, thy glove’s fallen.

Stay, stay; De Flores, help a little.

[Exeunt. Vermandero, Alsemero, and Servants.

De F. Here, lady. [Offers her the glove.

219Beat. Mischief on your officious forwardness!

Who bade you stoop? they touch my hand no more:

There! for the other’s sake I part with this;

[Takes off and throws down the other glove.

Take ’em, and draw thine own skin off with ’em!

[Exit with Diaphanta and Servants.

De F. Here’s a favour come with a mischief now! I know

She had rather wear my pelt^[405] tann’d in a pair

Of dancing pumps, than I should thrust my fingers

Into her sockets here: I know she hates me,

Yet cannot choose but love her: no matter:

If but to vex her, I will haunt her still;

Though I get nothing else, I'll have my will. [Exit.